Dürr: Big quality for small parts

The Muschert + Gierse Group (M+G) specializes in various surface technologies. As an automotive supplier, M+G meets the high requirements of OEMs in terms of surface treatment and processing. M+G has now commissioned a premium PT/EC plant specifically for small parts at its headquarters in Neuenrade. The company responsible for this is the plant engineering …

The Muschert + Gierse Group (M+G) specializes in various surface technologies. As an automotive supplier, M+G meets the high requirements of OEMs in terms of surface treatment and processing. M+G has now commissioned a premium PT/EC plant specifically for small parts at its headquarters in Neuenrade. The company responsible for this is the plant engineering firm Dürr.

Contract coating company Muschert + Gierse chose Dürr for this new PT/EC plant because of its desire to provide its customers from the automotive industry with comparable painting quality. This is accomplished through a pre-treatment and cathodic electro-coating plant that comprises 15 zones, quite unlike the low-cost process normally found in comparable plants. The plant spans three levels with equipping, removal, and media supply at 0 meters, the assembly level at 4.3 meters, and the plant level at 6 meters. 360 tons of constructional steelwork alone were needed for this.

Logistical masterpiece: the cathodic dip-coating tank is fabricated as a single transport unit, delivered to the site, and positioned in the plant.

The range of items painted includes fittings, hinges, and other mounting parts. These are transported through the plant by a rugged and maintenance-free Power & Free conveyor coupled to a steel frame with suspension devices, the so-called goods carriers. Pre-treatment consists of eleven zones, from deluge system through degreasing, activating, phosphating, and passivating to several rinse cycles. The subsequent four cathodic electro-coating zones do not leave anything to be desired either when it comes to quality.

The cathodic dip-coating tank with a capacity of 50 cubic meters is made from polypropylene with a steel support structure. In a departure from convention, it was fabricated as a single transport unit (i.e. a complete tank) and placed on site. As a result, it is extremely hard-wearing, and guarantees a long service life. The predecessor system – also from Dürr – set the benchmark by lasting for 35 years.

Efficient project execution, even when dealing with bulky parts, is all in a day’s work for Dürr.

The plant is also designed with energy efficiency and conservation of resources in mind. Thus, the residual energy from the cathodic electro-coating oven from Dürr is reused to heat the baths. The Ecopure(R) TAR thermal exhaust air purification system ensures clean air in the surroundings. The new plant is, of course, connected to M+G’s production planning system, which also records quality data.

The capacity is rated for throughput of 40 goods carriers per hour. This is equivalent to a mass throughput of 13,800 kilograms per hour at a conveyor speed of 1.7 meters per minute.

“We specifically chose Dürr for our cathodic electro-coating plant because a first-class plant will produce first-class parts. We had also chosen Dürr and its underlying competence for our first plant,” says Managing Director and owner Gert Middendorf. “A highly experienced project manager and a single source for the entire plant with concentrated know-how behind it – we couldn’t have done that on our own.”